NFL Draft: Top Rated Wide Receivers

Sammy Watkins has an uncanny ability to run with the football giving his team the potential to go the distance every time he touches the ball. On his film I see a lot of screen passes, most of which are successful. Speed is not something you can teach which will make Watkins a very sought after receiver. He has the ability to be a number one receiver with great speed, ability to change direction, and route running. That being said I think he would really solidify a team’s receiving corp as a number two option. An overlooked part of Watkins game is his run blocking ability.
Grade: A

Mike Evans is a big target with an exceptional ability to position himself to catch the football. He is a great competitor with good football instincts. While he doesn't have blazing speed or an above average ability to change direction, he seems to have good enough football speed. Evans has potential to be a great red zone target and big possession receiver. His run blocking skills are well above the average receiver as well. Mike Evans proved people wrong when they said he is slow by running a 4.53. He helped his stock tremendously by showing he has the size and speed to be a number one receiver.
Grade: A

Matthews is an extremely consistent receiver who hasn't missed a game in his tenure at Vanderbilt making him just about as reliable as they come. He has the prototypical size to be a number one receiver at 6' 3" and along with Davante Adams, has some of the best hands out of all receivers in this draft class. Some say Matthews does not have the speed to consistently get on top of defenses with vertical routes. Jordan matthews has had a great combine running a 4.46 40, which was much faster than most people expected. I think Matthews is one of the most under rated players in this draft class.
Grade: A

Brandin Cooks was the number one receiver at Oregon State last season after ending the season with 128 receptions and 1,730 yards. While he is a much smaller receiver at 5' 10", Cooks reminds me of Sammy Watkins. He is incredible out of the backfield as a screen receiver and a great route runner. Cooks has the ability to make multiple defenders miss and gives a team the chance to go the distance every play he is on the field. He has been consistent at Oregon State producing two 1,000+ seasons. Though he didn't play the toughest of competition at Oregon State, he showed the moves to be able to produce at the next level. The only thing that concerns me besides his size is that his ability to juke defenders may turn into dancing too much and not moving vertically down the field when playing faster defenses. That being said, Cooks skill set is very unique and can prove to be an integral part of any teams offense.
Grade: A-

Adams has dominated most of the games he has played in this season and racked up some amazing stats. As a sophomore he put up 1718 yards with 24 touchdowns, as well as 3000+ yards in his only two seasons at Fresno. He can make every catch and has some of the best hands in this group of wide receivers. This is one of the most talented receiver classes in draft history so it is hard to differentiate between all this talent. While Adams had his way with defenses this season, his competition, or lack thereof, may make his transition into the NFL a bit difficult.
Grade: A-

Landry is overall a safe pick at the wide receiver position. He is an above average route runner, has good hands, and can make a play on the ball in the air. Landry can make some spectacular catches everywhere on the field. In any other draft, Landry would be one of the top receivers taken but may fall due to the upside of some of the other receivers. Landry has proven is a consistent pass catcher and also a very good run blocker. His stock may fall due to his weak combine showing but it's hard to deny his talent when watching his film. There is so much talk about which LSU receiver will be taken first but they have such different skill sets that it really just matters what skill set the team that selects each respective receiver is looking for.
Grade: B+

Marqise Lee has blazing speed and possesses the threat to go the distance every play. His acceleration and ability to run after the catch is top notch. Unfortunately, he is having a down year after being hyped as the best receiver in college football. There have been a couple games this season where he has pretty much been shut out, which would scare me if I was an NFL General Manager. He was nursing a left knee injury for the majority of the season so teams will still take a chance on him somewhere around the late first or early second round. Lee could end up being a steal if he returns to the form he was in just one season ago.
Grade: B+

Florida State was a huge surprise this season with Jameis Winston emerging as one of the best quarterbacks in college football. While we will have to wait at least one more season to see him in the NFL, one of his receivers, Kelvin Benjamin, will be a hot commodity in the 2014 draft. Benjamin is only a sophomore but has shown flashes of greatness. While I question his consistency, his potential is most definitely there. He can definitely be a number one receiver, but I feel he may be more of a project. However, he is great at finding his way into the end zone and at 6’5”, he is a matchup nightmare.
Grade: B+

9. Odell Beckham, LSUBeckham can be best categorized as a playmaker. Much like Watkins and Lee, he has the threat to go the distance every time he touches the football. He also brings an element to the return game that will help his stock. Many teams are looking for a threat like Beckham, Watkins, Lee, and Cooks to stretch the field, and run after the catch. Unfortunately for Beckham there are four talented play makers like Beckham. While Watkins has pretty much cemented his status as the number one play making wide receiver, the next three (Cooks, Lee, and Beckham) are competing to be the next one taken. Most draft classes don't have this many receivers with the play making skill set proving that this is one of the top Receiver classes in history.
Grade: B+